St. John's Episcopal Church Montclair

St. John's Episcopal Church Montclair

by The Rev. Carrie Cabush

Season 2025

A Very Different Nativity | December 28, 2025

While the gospels of Matthew and Luke give us a sense of God coming to earth in human history, the gospel of John gives us a sense of God coming to earth in God’s history. Because the mysterious truth is that God didn’t wait until the incarnation to dwell with us

Vulnerability & Incarnation | December 25, 2025

It must have taken great courage to accept and receive these imperfect gifts of love. To trust first time parents in a time of high maternal and infant mortality. To trust strangers in an unfamiliar place, in a land under occupation. Yet, God chose to risk it all and receive human love, as imperfect as it can be. God experienced human vulnerability and made it holy.

The Greatest Gift | December 24, 2025

If I were to ask you, what is the greatest gift you’ve ever received, what would you say? Usually, when I ask a group of students this question I hear about the bike they got for Christmas, or a special doll that looks just like them, or the video game they’d had their eyes on for months. But one year, at vacation bible school, I asked a group of elementary school students “what is the greatest gift you’ve ever received?” and one little boy with confidence shot his hand up in the air to say “my life.”

Family Trees | December 21, 2025

This genealogy is chock full of both scandal and righteousness. Just like us. This is the miracle of incarnation. That God chose to save the world through a family such as this is a reminder that God enters into our mess and stays with us. If God could work through them, there can be no doubt that God can and does work through us too.

When Dreams Change | December 14, 2025

I can’t help but wonder if John the Baptist had to put his dreams in a drawer for Jesus. In our gospel this morning we hear him ask “Are you the one who is to come, or are we to wait for another?” Debie Thomas, theologian and essayist identifies John’s question beneath the question: “Lord, I’ve staked my entire life on you. Has it all been for nothing?”

Turn Toward Jesus (Children's Homily) | December 7, 2025

John tells the people to metanoia, to repent, to turn around in preparation for God coming to earth. Have you ever noticed that there is a moment in the service when we turn around?

Staying Awake in Advent | November 30, 2025

This Advent season, I can’t help but wonder if the invitation to stay awake and be ready is an invitation into mindfulness. John Kabat-Zinn defines mindfulness as “paying attention on purpose.” So for our purposes, a mindful Advent would be one spent paying attention to spiritual things. And truth be told, it is a fabulous place to start. Evelyn Underhill, a British mystic from the early 20th century, identified the first stage of the spiritual journey as “awakening,” or the soul becoming conscious to the reality of the divine.

God is in Control | November 23, 2025

Christ the King Sunday invites us to proclaim that God is still in control - even in exile, even on the cross, even in our messy and uncertain world. Thanks for Giving Sunday invites us to live out that proclamation by offering our wealth, wisdom, and works. Not out of fear or obligation, but from our confidence in God’s type of power. The type of power that transforms the world through the love of good shepherds, surprised fathers, and humble teachers. A power that gathers, frees, strengthens, and forgives.

"Tell Out My Soul" Stewardship Sermon by Reina Smith | November 16, 2025

I think of my closed fists, holding onto what is mine, and letting it trickle out, bit by bit. I open up, let go, and find that my hands and my heart are open to receive more than I could ever give. I pray that I continue to grow in faith and stewardship with all of you. May our prayers as a faith community be unceasing, as we participate in God's unseen works. May they manifest, and may we welcome many to the feast.

The Question Matters | November 9, 2025

Unlike every elementary school teacher I ever had, I believe that there are some stupid questions. Okay…maybe the questions aren’t stupid, but I do believe there are questions that get us farther from the truth rather than closer to it, and this morning’s gospel gives us an example of one of them.

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